1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to footwear and, more particularly, to footwear which includes at least one individualized shoe panel display for personalizing the shoe to the individual. More specifically, this invention relates to a shoe and method for making the same which includes a shoe display panel comprising an indicia panel or a plurality of indicia units secured to a portion of the shoe to create a virtually unlimited supply of personalized messages for the wearer of the shoe.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Footwear has become not only a means for protecting feet from the elements, but also a fashion statement to express ones own personality. In addition, many people are becoming more and more health and exercise conscious, which has tremendously boosted the sale of athletic shoes. One can hardly sit down to watch television without being bombarded with a whole series of different athletic shoe commercials. Unfortunately, most of the shoes sold today merely include logos and shoe manufacturer's trademarks and, therefore, do not give the wearer the ability to personalize the shoes' appearance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,362 to Wasserman discloses a removable indicia bearing tab for footwear, particularly athletic shoes, which allows the fashion of the shoe to change depending upon the tab chosen. Specifically, the tab includes identifying indicia or colors wherein the entire tab may be attachable to and removable from various components of the shoe, such as the tongue, quarter portion, or the side of the shoe sole. The tab is preferably affixed to a recessed area in the particular shoe portion by Velcro. The indicia are primarily fanciful designs, tradenames, trademarks, or service marks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,102 to Hill discloses a Velcro-encapsulated label for shoes and the like which includes a Velcro patch having a cut-out window to accommodate an identification or health information tag. The cut-out window and tag are preferably located in the heel region of the shoe. The window, however, is designed to be covered by a flap of material carrying Velcro which is attachable to a corresponding Velcro patch on the shoe. This is to protect the tag from the elements. As a result, the tag is not normally visible during normal use and, therefore, fails to provide the user with a visible means of individualizing one's shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,416 to Lin discloses an athletic shoe with a display portion which is visible during use. Specifically, the shoe includes a window formed in the quarter and outer covering portions of the shoe. A zippered access opening is provided between the quarter and outer material portions to allow the insertion of an information card therewithin which will be visible in the window. The information card may include a wide range of information, such as trademarks, ornamental designs, messages and the like. Due to the construction steps necessary to provide the access opening, zipper closure therefor and transparent window, the cost of the shoe is substantial and does not provide a commercially inexpensive means of individualizing a shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,801,477 to Adams et at. is directed to an ornamental attachment for shoes which comprises a means for changing the character of a shoe without modifying the structure of the shoe by providing a transparent, patch-like pocket in the upper portion of the shoe. A plaque shaped to fill the pocket is insertable therein. Such a pocket increases the cost of the shoe and substantially alters the ultimate shoe design and the requirement for a specially shaped plaque makes it difficult for individuals to personalize the shoes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,276 to Savoca et al. is directed to a shoe having a replaceable logo insert adhesively secured by an acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive within an opening formed in the side of the shoe. The opening includes a flexible lip around its periphery for the purpose of overlapping the peripheral edges of the insert in order to hold it securely in place. However, positioning the insert edge under the flexible lip tends to abrade the periphery of fabric inserts and, therefore, requires that more expensive, non-abradable, relatively rigid insert materials be employed.
Consequently, a commercially inexpensive means of individualizing a shoe is needed which provides the user with a virtually unlimited number of possible individualized messages or slogans without significantly altering the style of the shoe or increasing the costs of manufacture. Specifically, a shoe which allows the wearer to include indicia which are particularly designed by the wearer would provide a particularly desirable and commercially less expensive personalized shoe.